


I only see you sweetly when I see the stars at night (the only person that could ruin half the sky)

by pulchramors



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Akechi's terrible childhood, Akira's parents are assholes, Alternate Universe - Middle School, Angst, Child Abuse, Child Neglect, Dysfunctional Relationships, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M, Not A Fix-It, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pre-Canon, Rating May Change, References to Depression, Teen Angst, Underage Smoking, kind of, references to Persona 4, you've heard of childhood friends now get ready for childhood enemies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:48:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26272861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pulchramors/pseuds/pulchramors
Summary: "I wonder why we couldn't have met a few years earlier..."AU where Akechi gets sent in a foster home in Akira's hometown, but everything still goes to shit.
Relationships: (Eventual), Akechi Goro/Amamiya Ren, Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Comments: 2
Kudos: 53





	I only see you sweetly when I see the stars at night (the only person that could ruin half the sky)

**Author's Note:**

> I'm updating the tags as the story goes. I have some general "major events" set in stone and tagged them but as a warning, the story will get heavier as it progresses, so message me if you need to know anything detailed for a CW/TW! Akira is a bit of an edgy, awkward-ish, depressed 14-year-old and Akechi is...Well, it's everyday Akechi alright XD 
> 
> I normally don't like starting like 'hey here's a teaser for like 10 chapters later' but the first chapter is pretty meh on its own so...
> 
> PSA - smoking ain't cool kids. 
> 
> Title (both fic and chapter) is a lyric from "Deserve Me" by Bug Hunter (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJR-_haImgA)
> 
> English isn't my native, so let me know if there are any mistakes! (>.<;;)! Feel free to come scream at me on tumblr if you want! : https://pleasant-boi.tumblr.com/
> 
> Anyway, on the story! (ﾉ´ヮ`)ﾉ*: ･ﾟ Hope you like it! Feel free to leave a comment and let me know your thoughts!!

"...You really can see so many stars here." Akechi's voice came almost in a whisper as he stared at the night sky. Akira wasn't sure he would even hear it if it wasn't for the eerie silence of that particular summer night. Except for their breathing - _Akechi's coming out in a sort of weird, chocked-up way, but with how he snapped at him before he thought it would be better to ignore it-_ and the bugs and insects of summer, it was dead silent, even for that late.

"Did you ever look that stuff up?" he asked instead, tugging his bangs a little as Akechi turned to look at him a puzzled look on his face. "About constellations. You know. Like you said...last time." he swallowed. _Last time. He hadn't brought it up yet but -_

"No, I-" he looked off to the side before he took a deep breath. "Well, not like I would find anything half-adequate in this backwards, worthless excuse for a town." Akira snickered. He was right but-

"Aren't you a little harsh, senpai? _"_ Akechi didn't answer. Instead, he slowly got up, walking closer to the edge of the school's rooftop, looking at the scattered lights of the town flickering in the distance. 

"Hey, Akira?" 

"Yes?" 

_"Remember when we met?"_

* * *

Akira Kurusu woke up after the third time he hit snooze, realizing in a mild panic that if he didn't get up _now_ he was probably going to be late.

" _Shit-shit-sh-"_ he mumbled to himself, quickly putting on his uniform, running a hand through his messy hair - _not that combing it would make any difference, but he wanted to try at least damn it!-_ running down the stairs, only stopping to grab some money for food. As always, his parents had left already - _he wasn't even sure they came home last night-_ but he was used to this. An empty house, just some money on the counter and a note, if they were in a good mood or wanted something from him. 

He didn't dwell on it too much. He was used to it. They were busy and expecting them to actually show affection for once only lead in disappointment. _Still, he couldn't help but feel a pang of pain in his chest when the auntie in the small store he usually bought breakfast from on his way to school cooed about how much he'd grown, ruffling his already messy hair and giving him an extra bread for good luck._

* * *

Akira checked his phone, almost chocking on the bread. _Damn him and his inability to not stop and pet the adorable neighborhood cats! He'd probably have to run or he'd miss the first bell-_

As he was turning in a corner, somebody slammed into him, making him fall to the ground, running away with a ' _fucking watch it-'_ before he could even answer or realize what exactly happened. Akira stared at his back for a second, blinking slowly, frowning at the sting of his now-scrapped from the fall on the asphalt palms. _He was wearing their school's uniform but who was-_

Before he could dwell on it too much, he realized the impact had made his bread fall to the ground, the half-eaten bun almost staring at him with a betrayed look as it started soaking in a small puddle. ' _What an ass.'_ he thought, getting up and dusting himself off. At least he had the second one, he hummed, taking it out of its wrap and continued walking, although at a quicker pace. Truth was, he almost enjoyed that interaction. Every day was the same in the sleepy little country town he lived - _a mysterious asshole shoving him on his way to school wasn't nice, but it was something different happening at least._

He took a bite, smiling when he realized the second bun was his favorite flavor. Maybe it _was_ a lucky day.

* * *

Akira sighed, looking out the window, letting the chatter of his classmates become background noise when the bell _finally_ rang for lunch break. Other than the little encounter this morning, everything went on as usual - he arrived just in time, getting scolded for it by the teacher before slipping in an empty seat at the back. No one really came to talk to him and he didn't really initiate conversation either. He wasn't sure when he realized he didn't like any of his classmates and when he realized that they didn't exactly like him back or if those two realizations came together. It didn't matter - he knew exactly how to act to fit in when he needed to. Either way, _he was used to this too._ It’s a really sad realization to have that you’re only friends with people because it is convenient, that he would never fit it completely, that it only happened because his hometown was so small each grade had only one class and what else was there to do really? Secretly, he was looking forward to high school - his hometown wasn't big enough for one, so they went to Yasogami High in the next town over. It wasn't like Akira had never been to Inaba - it was only a short bus ride away after all - but he had something to look forward too. Maybe. 

" _Hey, Earth to Akira~"_ He almost jumped up from his seat as one of his classmates, the one seating in front of him waved his hand in front of his face with a chuckle. "You still sleeping?" The girl at the desk next to his sighed when he shrugged, taking out her bento. 

"You should try and be more responsible Akira-kun." she reprimanded as her friend who dragged her chair to her desk started laughing. 

"Responsible? It's _Akira_ we're talking about." she rolled her eyes, resting her forearms on the desk as she turned to him "Didn't you jump into the river on a dare last week and caught a cold?" Akira smiled a little. He liked doing stupid dares - _call it a rebellious phase, but it was better than doing nothing. His parents weren't really happy about it, but then again they weren't happy about anything._

 _"Yep._ The fever went down just two days ago." 

"Seriously man, how far you're gonna go with those?" Akira shrugged again, twirling his pen between his fingers.

"When someone gives me one I can't do." The girl rolled her eyes while her friend laughed again. 

" _Oh,_ how about you do something to that new kid?" she snorted. Akira looked at her puzzled. 

_"...New kid?"_

"I guess you wouldn't know since you were sick." The first girl sighed. 

"He moved here like what, three days ago? It was completely out of the blue! Seriously, if I didn't see him I wouldn't believe it." The boy nodded.

"Huh...Didn't know there were new people moving here."

"No - not people, only him. I don't know the details, but his parents are dead or something like that and he got sent here all the way from Tokyo." He continued. 

" _Tokyo?"_ Akira blinked in surprise. _Wait could it be that boy-?_

"Eh, I heard my mom saying that he's like... _crazy."_ the second girl leaned in closer. "When I asked her about it she said I shouldn't even _try_ talking to him." 

"He's kinda... disturbing." The first girl admitted, taking a small bite of her lunch. "I went to the faculty office this morning and a teacher was talking to him and he just looked..." she frowned, clicking her chopsticks together. " _...off, you know?_ He was smiling but when the teacher turned around he looked like he was about to kill her." The boy laughed. 

"What the hell? You watch too many horror movies." 

" _Shut up!"_

"She's right though!" The second girl continued. "I saw him too in the assembly and he's _seriously creepy!_ Looked like a ghost, staring off into the distance with like, those _huge_ eyebags, like he hadn't slept in like a week, hair falling on his face..." Akira chuckled. 

"His hair can't be worse than mine." he ran a hand through his black locks, frowning as his fingers got caught in some tangles, prooving his point and making them snort.

Akira let the chatter filter out as his classmates ignored him once again after that, talking to each other, smiling and nodding at the right times, without actually paying attention.

* * *

He saw him a couple of times. That new student. Akira was never into gossiping, but one of the advantages _(probably)_ of being quiet was that people forgot he was there sometimes, so he always ended up finding rumors and secrets unnaturally fast, even faster than they spread. Not that it was necessary - people didn't really bother whispering when it came to him. Not even when he was within earshot - _Akira wasn't sure if he really didn't hear the girls talking about him in the hallway or pretended not to, but from the way his grip tightened around his books and started walking faster when one of them said she heard his mother was a prostitute, he guessed it probably was the latter._

His name was Goro Akechi. It seems like he really did come from Tokyo and was an orphan - the rest of the rumors where various degrees of ridiculous (" _I heard he actually murdered his parents! Isn't that crazy!?" he had heard someone say and he almost burst out laughing - **it was crazy**_ ) so he chose to ignore them mostly.

Akira let out a sigh. It wasn't even two weeks and he was getting tired already. He patted his pocket, feeling his lockpicking tools, smirking to himself before sneaking off to the roof. The building was short, so they chose to keep the door leading to the rooftop padlocked instead of getting a fence. Which worked in Akira's favor, sneaking off to sit by himself, without having to play the guy his classmates liked or at least tolerated, even skipping class some days to just relax for a few hours. As long as his grades were good nobody cared anyway.

His froze, seeing the padlock was broken and the door left half-open. 

Without thinking he quickly made the rest of the way up and opened the door. 

He didn't know what to expect. 

It certainly wasn't the new student, standing near the edge, lightly humming along with some tune that played from his earphones, blowing a cloud of smoke. Akira froze - getting involved with him wasn't a good idea. Never mind all the rumors, the guy was probably a delinquent, sneaking off to the roof - _nevermind he did that too-_ to smoke - Staying away was the safe, the sane thing to do, _but -_

_"I caught that transfer student staring at me yesterday. What a creep!" Akira heard one of the third-year girls giggle to her friends as they walked in front of him on the way to school._

_"Do you think he wants to ask you out?" one of them teased, making the others giggle._

_"Ew, come on, don't even joke about this." the first girl tightened her ponytail._

_"You better not reject him if he actually does or he'll jump off the roof or something."_

_"Huh?"_

_"I heard he's here 'cause he tried killing himself back in Tokyo. He's wearing a sweater over his uniform too so he's probably-" she mimicked a hand over her wrist. "-you know?"_

Akira didn't pay attention to the rest of their conversation, letting himself fall behind until their chattering and giggles faded. 

-Which brought him back to the present - The transfer student was standing near the edge of the roof. Akira knew that side of the building wasn't visible from the courtyard either. _No one would notice. No one except-_ Akira felt his heart beat loudly in his ears. Before he even knew what he was doing, his body acted on his own, grabbing the older boy and pulling him back by his arm, making him stumble back and one of his earbuds come off.

" _What the hell is your fucking problem?"_ he snapped at him, shaking his arm off Akira's grip. 

"Don't." Was all that Akira could say, his throat suddenly dry. Akechi looked at him confused, taking the other earbud off.

" _What?"_

" _Don't do it"_

"Do _what_ exactly-?" he stopped, realizing what Akira meant, letting out a laugh. " _Wait, you thought I was going to-"_ he snorted.

"Jump." Akira finished for him, fidgeting slightly. "I-I heard from some students that you're..." he didn't finish, taking a deep breath "Don't do it. Please?" Akechi rolled his eyes. 

"What _jump off the roof_?" Akira nodded and Akechi took another drag from his cigarette, turning his head to blow the smoke away from Akira's face. " _You're such a dumb fuck._ The building is too short to actually die from that - if I wanted to break my legs I'd find an easier method." 

" _Oh_." Akira hadn't thought about that. "I didn't think about it." he replied honestly, rubbing the back of his neck.

" _That's what I thought._ God, does anybody have half a brainin this place?" he took another drag, trying to calm himself down. 

"You shouldn't smoke." Akira blurted out without thinking. Akechi smirked. 

"Or _what?_ You're gonna tell on me?" he mocked.

" _Yes?"_ No, he wouldn't because then he wouldn't be able to sneak to the roof but he didn't need to know that. "Well, maybe I won't-" 

"Yeah, that's what I thought." Akechi sighed, cutting him off. "What do you want?" Akira didn't really want anything.

"Let me try it." he said the first thing that came to mind instead. "Smoking, I mean." The older boy seemed amused, if anything. 

"Oh, I see... We have a wanna-be delinquent here." he chuckled but handed him the cigarette anyway. " _Whatever."_ he scoffed. Akira stared at it for a second before putting it on his lips. It wasn't that bad, the smoke just left a weird taste in his mouth, slightly burning. He blew it out, about to hand it back to the other, feeling a bit stupid. 

"Do it properly. Don't just keep the smoke in your mouth." the older boy shook his head. " _Actually inhale_ it this time _."_

"Okay." Akira was never one to back away for a challenge - he put the cigarette back between his lips, inhaling as deeply as he could and erupting into a coughing fit pretty much immediately after, his throat and nose burning with the toxic smoke, his eyes tearing up. Akechi laughed again.

"You really did it, huh?" he put a hand on his hip. "You shouldn't smoke you _dumb_ -"

"Kurusu-" Akira interrupted him, letting out another cough, his voice a little hoarse. "My name's Kurusu Akira, not dumb fuck." Akechi snorted, taking back his cigarette

" _Sure._ Goro Akechi, but you probably already knew that." he took a last, long drag, mockingly blowing the smoke on Akira's face before shooting him a sweet, perfect smile. " _Pleased to make your acquaintance Kurusu-kun."_ even his voice sounded different somehow.

"Uh, nice to meet you too, Akechi-senpai." Akechi's eyes widened a little at that, almost letting out another laugh. Before Akira could say anything else or Akechi could reply, the bell rung, Akechi clicked his tongue, throwing the cigarette down and stepping on it before rushing off without a word, Akira staring at him as the door slammed behind. 

_Fake or true rumors aside, he seemed interesting, Akira thought, bringing his hand up to touch his lips._


End file.
